Heavy Metal!
Chapter 8
"The Killing Road Ends"
By MEGAMANX411
Metal stared at Zero with fire in his gaze. He would kill Zero no matter what the cost. He would insure the safety of Goth by removing what he considered the biggest threat to her. He knew that using his best attack would probably kill him, or reduce him to a low enough power for him to be easily defeated by X. Either way, it was his only choice.
"Zero, you're fucking dead! Slayer!" Metal screamed, slowly raising his hands.
Metal's now silver hair began to gracefully shift as if winds were being picked up around him. The dark aura surrounding him began to grow. Dark mist began to exhume from his being as power was collected. Metal was getting ready to use his best attack, and his body began to glow.
"I'm not going to let you!" X shouted, dashing after Metal.
X quickly grabbed Metal's arms and pulled them down, trying to restrict his movement. Metal struggled against X's grip, but he was having a hard time breaking free. Zero then charged foward with his saber, and sliced downward, hitting Metal in the shoulder. The saber sliced into Metal's shoulder a good deal, causing the dark reploid to curse loudly and some of his own blood to spill. Metal quickly did a powerful kick to drive both X and Zero back, but he was now to weakened to use his attack without dying for sure.
If he used his best attack, he was dead for sure. There was no way he could beat them both, and he wasn't even sure that he had enough energy to even use the attack in the first place. It might not even work effectively. Metal hated to admit it, but he would have to resort to his buster if he wanted to win now. Metal slowly powered down, and his body then resumed his normal form. He lifted his buster, and the spiked ball then sat on top of it once again.
Metal pointed his buster at Zero, and then launched the spiked ball. Zero braced himself for the attack, and quickly dove out of the way in time. Before X could intervene, Metal changed the direction of the attack and sent the ball hurdling at the blue bomber. X ducked, trying to get away from the attack.
Zero tried to stop Metal by rushing at him with his saber, but Metal sent the attack hurdling at the crimson hunter. Zero managed to side step the attack, but the chains connecting the ball to Metal's buster were wrapped around Zero's legs due to some finesse from Metal. He then pulled his buster arm back, tripping Zero, and pulled him forward. However, X blasted Metal in the chest, knocking him back and loosening his grip on Zero.
Metal then collected the majority of his remaining energy into one last charge, and fired the spiked ball at high speed. The attack threatened to smash into Zero, but the red hunter managed to evade the attack. He then used his saber to guide the chain to his will, taking control over the attack from Metal. Using his saber, Zero moved the attack back over to Metal.
Metal just looked on hopelessly as his own attack came back around. There was nothing left he could do. He was truly doomed from the start. All of his hopes and dreams were for nothing. To him, his fate was completely unfair. This wasn't what he deserved. He only wanted to live in peace with Goth, and the only ones he killed were those the hunters would have exterminated later anyway.
Metal then looked down as his own attack ripped through his chest, creating a huge hole. His reploid blood began to pour out like a fountain, and his eyes and mouth started to bleed as well. He fell to his knees, staring up at the dark of night, cursing his fate. Was this how things were to end? His vengeance was doomed to be cut short? His promise would never be fulfilled?
Metal lowered his head in agony, but struggled to stand back up, not wanting to admit defeat. He wasn't done, he couldn't be done yet. There was no way he could give in. Then he would truly be lost. He futilely tried to pick himself, but his power was too weak. He just looked back at up, his blood-stained face staring back at the two demons who killed him, X and Zero. He managed to defeat one, but even he wasn't dead yet. Metal had underestimated the hunters...a mistake he would not be able to repeat.
Zero slowly walked up to Metal, and looked down on him as if he wasn't even worth his effort. To him, Metal was just another subject to be hunted. Business, and nothing more. He slowly raised his saber. That's when X gazed back at Metal. Something strange seemed to happen as X looked back at Metal.
X was suddenly shown flashes of insights into Metal's life. He couldn't explain it. He saw his own blueprints and design schematics laid out on a table, and an old man sulking nearby. That old man was not Dr. Light, it was someone else. He then saw a broken old robot that looked like X, but it wasn't quite the same. It was the same design as X, but a different creator. X didn't know what it was, but there was something different about this robot.
He saw that this robot was not completed in the vision. Instead, he saw a vision of a red robot taking in the praise and attention of the old man, while the other robot was left alone. It was left to remain incomplete in a darkened corner. X saw this robot escape the lab it was in, only to be jeered at and mocked, and to be treated with contempt. He lacked power, but had determination.
X saw that the robot from the vision later became the one who laid before him, Metal. He saw the promise that Metal made to Goth. He didn't know why. Because they had the same design, it was as if they shared some kind of telepathic bond. X then stood in front of Metal, blocking Zero from killing him.
"Zero, don't kill him," X commanded, spreading his arms out.
"What are you doing X? Get out of the way!" Zero shouted, trying to deter his friend.
"I saw something Zero. He isn't evil. We don't have to kill him," X replied.
"He still killed hunters, he killed civilians, and he's even committed other crimes. All of those sins are on his soul now, he cannot possibly redeem himself. He is a Maverick, and as a Maverick Hunter, I am supposed to kill him!" Zero shouted.
"Metal, what do you want? What is the thing you have fought for so hard?" X asked, turning to Metal.
Metal spat up some blood, and struggled to his feet. He stared back at X and Zero hostilely. He couldn't believe that X had the nerve to show him mercy. Metal just wanted to kill them more than anything now...or did he, really? He wanted to fight them, yes, but for the sake of his promise to Goth. Was he just covering up his true desire with another one?
"I want...to protect...h-her..." Metal stammered, trying to force out his words.
"If I let you go, will you leave? Will you leave with this girl?" X asked.
"I-I..." Metal replied, spitting up more blood.
"X, stop this nonsense right now!" Zero shouted.
"No! Let him speak!" X replied, standing back and facing Zero.
Metal slowly stood up straight, with his head held high. He tried to forget about his immense pain, and struggled to fight against the weight of his own body. He was so fatigued and worn out that just standing was nearly impossible.
"I-I can't give up on her...I promised...I'd make her safe. S-She was called a Maverick, but I'll get rid of you hunters to save her..." Metal hissed, trying to fight some more.
"If I promise that we will leave this girl alone, will you stop this?" X asked.
"Why should I trust you?" Metal shouted, screaming loudly despite his own pain.
"Honestly...I don't know," X muttered, shaking his head.
"Out of the way!" Zero shouted.
Zero then took the handle of his saber and smacked X in the face, knocking him aside. The blue hunter fell to the ground, but quickly got back up and rubbed his face where Zero hit him. Zero then shifted his attention to where Metal was...but he was gone! The only thing in his place was a pool of blood and a load of illegal parts. He had dropped his illegal weapons.
"He's gone. We have to go after him," Zero muttered.
"No, Zero," X replied, standing back up. "He left the fight, and he left behind his weapons. That proves to you I got through to him."
"And why do you trust him?" Zero shouted.
"I don't know why, but I just feel like I can. I could see what he was thinking...huh?" X muttered, looking at his arm.
He just received an incoming transmission from someone. He looked down to see that he had a message simply saying:
"Thanks. You showed me what promise of mine was more important than the other. But cross me again, and I'll kill you for sure. I'm holding you to YOUR promise," -Heavy Metal
X smirked as he saw the fruits of his labor, and looked back at Zero. The red hunter shook his head, but admitted defeat to X. He put his saber away and walked out the door, slinging Axl over his shoulder as he went. X followed after, thinking about how things might have been different if Metal had been born into a better life.
Meanwhile, Metal slowly returned to the place where he left Goth. He walked slowly, bleeding profusely as he moved. He still had enough to live, but he just needed to rest. He set himself down beside Goth, he looked at her face and smirked.
"Heh, guess I decided my promise to you was more important than that promise I made to myself. Consider yourself lucky," Metal teased, falling asleep beside Goth.
Metal and Goth finally had what they wanted. A private paradise, just for the two of them. Metal was finally complete, and he proved he was the better. At least, in his mind. He thought he had proved himself by choosing to return to Goth instead of dying futilely. He knew how strong he was now, he could defeat many foes.
X had personally seen to it that there was no more need to hunt after Metal and Goth. The hunters dismissed any information of Metal's existence, and the stories of his exploits became rumors and urban legends. The one reploid who almost killed X, Zero and Axl, all by himself. The one who challenged the whole system of authority in the world, and who took on any foe with vicious cunning. That was the legend of Metal.
No one saw the real Metal anymore, but everyone feared him. He was mentioned in stories and people would often use Metal's name as some sort of scare tactic. Everyone began to assume that Metal wasn't even a real reploid anymore, but the real Metal was happy just by being with Goth. No one else mattered, and no one else interfered with him. That was the way he wanted things.
The end. I really hope you enjoyed reading this fanfiction, and I also hope you liked my fan characters! Comments are appreciated, as always!
